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[Adventurer]

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New internet piracy law comes into effect in France
By Hugh Schofield
BBC News, Paris



Supporters of the new law say it could be a model for the rest of the world
The first effects of France's new law against internet piracy will begin to be felt as the new year begins.

The law was passed after a long struggle in parliament, and in the teeth of bitter opposition from groups opposed to internet restrictions.

Illegal downloaders will be sent a warning e-mail, then a letter if they continue, and finally must appear before a judge if they offend again.

The judge can impose a fine, or suspend their access to the internet.

The Creation and Internet Bill set up a new state agency - the Higher Authority for the Distribution of Works and the Protection of Copyright on the Internet (Hadopi).

The law was backed by President Nicolas Sarkozy and the entertainment industry.

Many opponents

Its supporters say it is a model for other countries around the world that want to protect their creative industries and make clear to ordinary web-users that not everything is for free.

Piracy

[Fox]

That's too bad. Internet "piracy" laws are ridiculous. I should be able to configure my computer in any way I wish. I can understand why the entertainment industry has a compelling interest in trying to stop it, but there should be strict limits on what "ownership" means when it comes to something like this. I certainly agree no one should be able to profit from the distribution of a movie, song, etc that they "own", but free file exchange should be allowed.

"But how can the movie and music industry compete with free?" How does bottled water compete with tap water and public drinking fountains? By providing things people want. The same can go for movies and music. There will always be people who would like the official, released copy of a CD, in physical format, on nice-looking discs with art inscribed on them, with little extras in the packaging. There will always be people who want the same from their DVDs. And there will always be movie-theatres for movies and concert performances for music.

These industries have plenty of things to turn to to make money. This legislation that attempts to inhibit us from configuring our PCs any way we wish is ridiculous. People who download media from the internet are not thieves, and they are not criminals. Rather, they're targets of unjust laws which are the result of aggressive lobbying by the music and movie industries. Just another case of the corporate world winning out over the common man.

If I hear you singing a little song you made up yourself as we pass in the halls, and I decide to sing it for myself, have I stolen from you? No, but the entertainment industry would have us believe that doing something similar -- albeit more sophisticated -- is stealing from them. They even insist that exercising your legal right to backup your own media is theft! They're waging a no-holds barred propaganda war to criminalize millions upon millions of people, and they're winning. Rather than innovating to continue to provide customers good service in light of the new challenges of the internet era, they're simply trying to illegalize any way but their own.

[Adventurer]

I think people in France aren't going to stop downloading things. People are charged way too much to procure decent music. I, occasionally, buy CDs. I do buy original stuff, but not all the time. I don't make that much money to where I can find it feasible to spend so much money on music.

Is there a way for the French Government to stop this?